Huntsville gazette., 1887-04-30

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We took seats on the veranda. The
charmer squatted on the ground dozen
feet away.sand began playing on the
flute. In five minutes cobra came
from under the veranda, directly be-
meath where we sat, and slowly crawled
toward the musician. Then the reptile
stood erect, and began waving his head
from side to side. The performer
dropped his flute, and with a sweep Of
his hand. like a stroke of lightning,
seized the snake by the neck.
Perhaps it's a trick said one Of
our party, land the snake is harm
less one that has been let loose for the
purpose.
The remark was heard by the per-
fo,mer, who, thereupon, brought the
snake close to us, forced his mouth
open with small stick, and showed
the creatures fangs with their poison
bags at their base. Then he extracted
their fangs with pair of pincers which
he drew from the folds of his dress,
threw the snake into one of the baskets,
and then sat down and began to play
again.
''Cobras hunt in couples" said our
host, ''and where you find one an
other is generally not far away"
Sure enough, in less than quarter Of
an hour, another cobra was caught in
the same way, and the poison fangs
were exhibited and removed. The SER
pent was consigned to the basket with
his mate, and then the man received his
fee and departed.
Naturally, the subject was followed
up in our conversation after the snake
charmer had gone. At suggestion
from the host, one of the company gave
the following account of two uncom-
Portable experiences he had had with
these dreaded serpents:
"When l first came to India laughed
at the idea Of being afraid of snakes,
and it was only because of the urgent
advice of friends that kept lamp
burning at night in the sleeping-room
of my bungalow. If it went out l was
not particular to call the servant to
have it lighted. The result was that one
morning when l opened my eyes in
broad daylight saw large cobra lying
coiled on the mat near the door.
81 was frightened and shouted with
all the force of my lungs. Ididn't know
the Hindostani name Of the creature, or
rather l had forgotten it for the mo-
ment, and so l yelled 'cobra!' 'cobrar
Very soon the servants came with sticks
and killed him. He measured nearly
four feet in length and his fangs made
me shudder as looked at them.
''For months afterward / was careful
to have lights burning in my sleeping
room, but eventually grew careless
again. One night l awoke and found
the light had gone out. / was too sleepy
to call for the lascar, and probably did
not remain awake a minute. a
'.But this waking was followed by
disaereeable dreams which seemed to
last for hours, but quite likely they
were of only a few minutes duration
l walked again, and was about to turn
over, when l felt something pressing
against my leg. The moon was shining
into the room, and, as l moved slightly,
i saw movement near the foot of the
bed, at the spot where l had felt the
pressure against me. Besides my paja-
mas, or sleeping-suit, my only covering
was single sheet of linen. an3 avery
thin one it was.
"A sense of great danger came over
me, and without moving my body l
slowly raised my head and distinctly
saw in the moonlight the head of a
cobra slowly turning and settling down
after the disturbance caused by my
moving when l walked.
''To say that was seriously fright
ened does not describe my feelings, as
you can well believe. My flesh was
chilled as though by blast from an
iceberg. My blood seemed to cease
flowing. and could feel my hair rising
upon my head. My first impulse was to
spring from the bed, but fear prevented
me.
By degrees l became sufficiently self
possessed to realize that if l jumped |
was not only in danger of being bitten
by the snake that lay against me, but
also by its mate which might be on the
floor exactly in the spot where should
plant my feet. To call the servant with
the light was my only safety unless L
chose to lie still until morning, which
l felt l could not do. To remain for
hours in that situation would have
made me 4 lnnatic.
.At the top Of my voice | shouted
'lascar!
The cobra, disturbed by the noise,
raised its head, but soon settled down
again. The servant did not come. and
as soon rs the snake was quiet re-
peated the call, and with the same re-
suit.
"A third time l shouted even louder
than before. This appeal was success
f,,l ~. tho 20 Ill and